The Albany Gazette - Nutty? Security stepped up at World Conker Championships

Around 250 people from nine different countries entered this year's competition, which was held in Peterborough in eastern England on Sunday, organisers said.

The aim of the game is to use a conker -- the seed of horse chestnut trees -- threaded onto a string to try to smash an opponent's nut.

Security was enhanced after the 2024 tournament was thrown into turmoil when men's champion, David Jakins, was accused of using a conker made of steel.

Jakins's defeated opponent, Alastair Johnson-Ferguson, raised concerns about the conker Jakins had used during their face-off.

The controversy escalated when a steel conker was found inside Jakins's pocket, prompting the World Conker Championships to launch an investigation.

The probe, which considered video and photographic evidence as well as testimony and examination of winning conkers, concluded that Jakins's win, his first since he began competing in 1977, was achieved fairly.

Organiser St John Burkett said of the 2025 arrangements: "We had an airport-style scanner which competitors had to pass through, including a tray for them to empty their pockets in.

"We also had a hand-held scanner, and sirens and flashing lights should anything untoward be detected by the scanner. And, in keeping with the event, the ringmaster had a big magnet on a stick."

He added that a man was disqualified from Sunday's event after he had set off an alarm while attempting to bring in his own conker, which is against competition rules.

This year's overall champion, Matt Cross said he was "speechless" after winning the competition, which was the first time he had ever played the game.

(B.Smith--TAG)